Songpa-gu, First Confirmation of 'Pungnandong Earthen Fortress West Wall' within Sampyo Industrial Pungnap Factory

Confirmation of Remaining Fortress Wall in Underground Area of Factory... Sampo Industry's Claim Proven False... Currently, Three Administrative Lawsuits Including Cancellation of Expropriation Decision Filed Against Sampo Industry for Songpa-gu Factory Site; Unauthorized Occupation and Continued Operation of Undelivered Remaining Factory Land... Lawsuit Filed to Receive Remaining Land Except Some Indemnified Areas in Songpa-gu; Active Measures Taken to Ensure Prompt Factory Relocation by Continuously Imposing Compensation for Unauthorized Occupation of Cultural Heritage Area by Sampo Industry

1 Toru soil layer (Photo courtesy of the National Ganghwa Cultural Heritage Research Institute)

Toru and interior wall finishing stone masonry (Photo provided by the National Ganghwa Cultural Heritage Research Institute)

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Seong-su) announced that through a cultural heritage trial excavation survey of the Sampyo Industrial Pungnap Factory site, the western wall of the Pungnap-dong earthen fortress remaining beneath the factory site was confirmed for the first time in history.

This cultural heritage survey was conducted by the National Ganghwa Cultural Heritage Research Institute (Director Kim Ji-yeon) over five days starting December 8 last year, targeting a portion of the land (approximately 30% or 6,071m² of the total 21,076m² area of the Pungnap Factory) handed over by Sampyo Industrial in the first half of last year.

As a result of the survey, an earthen mound forming the structure of the western wall of the Pungnap-dong earthen fortress and an inner wall finishing stone embankment were confirmed inside the factory parking lot site.

The earthen mound refers to the foundational structure compacted and piled with soil for fortress wall construction, and the inner wall finishing stone embankment refers to the stone embankment built with strong stones inside the fortress wall to prevent collapse.

Mayor Park Seong-su explained the background of the initiative, saying, “To resolve residents’ inconveniences and restore cultural heritage, we judged that the demolition of the factory could no longer be delayed. Therefore, from June last year, we immediately carried out the demolition of facilities in part of the area handed over by Sampyo Industrial’s Pungnap Factory, enabling this cultural heritage survey.”

Until now, Songpa-gu has strongly asserted in various lawsuits related to Sampyo that “the direction of the western wall of the Pungnap-dong earthen fortress passes through the interior of the Pungnap Factory.”

This survey result not only supports the district’s claim but also proves that Sampyo Industrial’s assertion that “there is no fortress wall inside the factory or if it exists, it is biased toward the east” is false.

In particular, the district has been promoting compensation for the factory site in cooperation with the Cultural Heritage Administration and Seoul City since 2003 for the restoration and maintenance of the western wall. Land compensation was completed in 2020, and subsequently, Sampyo Industrial handed over about 30% of the factory site to Songpa-gu in three phases in the first half of last year, following strong demands from Songpa-gu.

Currently, Sampyo Industrial has filed a total of three administrative lawsuits against Songpa-gu, including a cancellation lawsuit for the expropriation decision on the factory site, and continues to occupy the remaining factory site that has not been handed over without permission, maintaining factory operations.

In response, Songpa-gu has filed lawsuits to receive the remaining land except for the partially handed-over area and is actively responding to ensure the factory relocation proceeds promptly by continuously imposing compensation fees for Sampyo Industrial’s unauthorized occupation of the cultural heritage area.

Additionally, the district temporarily maintained the land handed over in the first half of last year as a resting space for local residents. Once the entire factory relocation is completed, a full-scale precise excavation survey and maintenance work of the cultural heritage will be conducted, aiming to restore the cultural heritage and create a space for local residents.

Mayor Park Seong-su of Songpa-gu stated, “With this survey clearly confirming that the western wall of the Pungnap-dong earthen fortress remains beneath the factory, we will accelerate the procedure for receiving the remaining factory site,” adding, “We will promptly achieve the complete relocation of the factory to preserve the core cultural heritage of the proud 500-year Baekje royal capital and improve the residential environment for local residents.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.